Jon Favreau

Filmmaker / Actor

Born: 19 October 1966

Birthplace: Queens, New York

Best known as: The guy who made Swingers with Vince Vaughn

Jon Favreau's career as an actor and movie maker took off when his indie comedy Swingers (1996) became a hit in art houses and on video. The semi-autobiographical tale of two single and struggling actors made a movie star out of his friend and co-star Vince Vaughn. It also set Favreau on his path as a successful character actor who also directs Hollywood blockbusters like Iron Man (2008, starring Robert Downey, Jr.). He has acted in Swingers, Made (2001, also writer and director), Very Bad Things (1998, with Cameron Diaz), the HBO biopic Rocky Marciano (1999, as Marciano) and The Break Up (2006, with Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston). Favreau has directed Elf (2003, starring Will Ferrell), Daredevil (2003, starring Ben Affleck) and Iron Man.

Extra credit: His cable TV talk show, Dinner for Five (2001), featured Favreau and four other guests chatting about the movie business while eating a meal... Another Jon Favreau is a speechwriter for presidential candidate Barack Obama.